ROCKINGHAM — Running the loop at Hinson Lake for the first time this season, the Hamlet Middle School boys’ and girls’ cross country teams defended their home course.
The Red Rams and Lady Red Rams, coached by Michelle Denson, each remained perfect on the season and recorded their third respective win in as many races. They would sweep the field of the 10 Southeastern Middle School Athletic Conference teams competing in the 2.1-mile race.
Placing first overall out of 53 total female runners was Hamlet’s Zoie Smith (14:10), which was the second time this season she grabbed the top spot. Smith’s finish saw teammates Layla Smith, Jenna Gardner and Alivia Webb come across the dam in third, fifth and 15th place respectively to notch the win with 24 points.
Layla Smith’s time was 14:39, Gardner finished in 14:52 and Webb rounded out the team with a mark of 15:33. Also finishing for Hamlet were Shianna Chaparro (16th, 15:38) and Emma Altman (24th, 16:36).
In the boys’ race, the Red Rams took first with an overall score of 48 points, edging second place Sandy Grove Middle School by seven points. Amere Morrison was the team’s first to cross the finish line, taking fifth overall out of 56 runners with a time of 13:24.
Contributing to Hamlet’s win was Jason Walker (7th, 13:32), Linden Garcia (15th, 14:33) and Samuel Hawks (21st, 14:40). Helping bump other teams’ runners were Cane Hunsucker (22nd, 14:50) and Billy West (23rd, 14:53).
The second best Richmond County Schools team to finish the race was Rockingham Middle School’s girls’ team. The Lady Rockets took third overall with 65 points, just 12 points behind Sandy Grove. Gabby Lutz and Mariana Mendez took ninth and 10th place, respectively.
Also helping the Lady Rockets were Kaleigh Cloninger (20th) and Ellan Munn (26th).
Rockingham’s boys’ team finished in fourth place, which was also the second highest finish of the four RCS schools. With 81 points, the Rockets’ runners were Chance Spivey (4th), Jeremiah Ritter (24th), Tyson Fowler (26th) and Ryan Dickenson (27th).
For Ellerbe Middle School, the Wildcats earned seventh place (100 points) and the Lady Wildcats took ninth place (156 points). Finishing first for the Ellerbe boys was Jemell Bingham, whose sixth-place overall finish was his personal best of the fall. Ellerbe’s best female finisher was Brittany Manis (28th)
Cordova Middle School’s girls’ and boys’ teams finished eighth and ninth, respectively. Top runners for the Cavaliers were Ke’Juan Bright (17th) and Amia Pegram (33rd).
The next middle school cross country meet will be held at Hinson Lake on Tuesday at 4 p.m. It will serve as the final warmup to the SEMSAC championship run at Spring Hill Middle School on Nov. 14.
Coaches Allen Adeimy and Michelle Denson contributed information and times to this article.
